Clay Matthews' discusses how his 'awesome' viral draft day moment in Green Bay came to be and who helped him

Clay Matthews had one goal when he took to the stage to open the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.

“Let’s make this memorable,” Matthews said, as he looked back on his viral moment during his recent appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast.

The Green Bay Packers legend certainly did that when he stepped to the microphone in front of 205,000 rabid football fans outside Lambeau Field and with millions watching at home after he pulled out a piece of paper that he said was from President Donald Trump with a message that read: “My fellow Americans, THE BEARS STILL SUCK!!!”

“I was happy with how it landed,” Matthews said.

So, just how did the 39-year-old come up with the prank?

A few weeks after the draft, Matthews acknowledged he can’t take all the credit for it. And Trump didn’t write that letter, did he? Matthews discussed all of that and more on the podcast.

Clay Matthews had help from his wife, Casey Noble, on writing Trump letter at NFL Draft

Matthews had some help and encouragement in pulling it off and making it believable that Trump wrote the letter.

His wife, Casey Noble, a former HGTV star and designer, deserves a hat tip for the assist, he said.

After he was asked to come out on stage in the leadup to the draft, Matthews began doing his homework.

Matthews said he reviewed videos from last year when the draft was in Detroit. Lions icons Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders, plus active stars like Aidan Hutchinson and Jared Goff came on stage to welcome fans to the draft.

“I thought it was great,” Matthews said. “Mixture of legends and current players, but they all just went up there and screamed into the mic.”

He didn’t want to do that. How could he make a lasting impression that would have people talking? That’s when his wheels started turning. But he first asked Noble for her thoughts.

“She’s always the voice of reason,” Matthews said. “She’s like, ‘Yes, you need to do this.'” And with Noble “the master of photoshop” the two went to work.

“I went online, searched for some letterhead with President Trump’s signature on it,” Matthews said. Noble noted that they needed to make the signature “bigger” to make it look like Trump’s handwriting.

“She was behind it,” Matthews said. “She did a great job.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and former Packers player Clay Matthews ride bikes on the stage before the start of the first round of the NFL Draft on April 24.

Clay Matthews didn’t tell anybody about his NFL Draft prank

Matthews has played in packed stadiums his whole life on the biggest venues from the LA Memorial Coliseum while playing for Southern California in college to Lambeau Field with the Packers and in the Super Bowl.

But backstage at the draft outside a stadium he played at for 10 years, the Packers’ 2009 first-round draft pick was nervous.

“I got this envelope just shaking,” he recalled.

After all, no one knew what he was about to say.

“I didn’t tell anybody,” Matthews said. “Today’s political climate you mention one political affiliation, left, right, it’s just not going to go over well with the NFL. … I’m thinking this is a live event they could cut me off.”

But he didn’t waver.

He was backstage with former Packers stars Mason Crosby, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Ahman Green and James Jones, who were joining him on stage, plus rapper and Packers celebrity fan Lil’ Wayne.

“They asked, ‘Hey, is there anyone who wants to go up there and say some things?'” Matthews said. “Mason and Jordy are like, ‘I’m not doing that.'”

Matthews, however, had his plan.

“I’m like, ‘I’ll do it, I’ll get them going,'” Matthews said. “The opportunity just kind of opened itself.”

Matthews delivered the line to perfection. The guys by his side erupted as Green and Matthews flexed to the crowd.

“The boys all behind me, they enjoyed it, they had no idea, so they were equally fired up,” Matthews said. “Any time you can take a chance to put the Bears down you gotta take it.”

Matthews was a bit worried, though, as he made his way to the back. What was NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell going to say? Would he get a talking to?

He had nothing to worry about. The good vibes carried over.

“They were super cool backstage,” Matthews said. “I kind of half-heartedly apologized while laughing. ‘Hey, I’m sorry. I knew you weren’t going to approve it.” Goodell had no issues with it and they all took a picture together.

Former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green and former linebacker Clay Matthews hype up the crowd after reading a note that Matthews made appear as from President Donald Trump that read “The Bears still suck” before the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft on April 24.

Clay Matthews says White House loved the NFL Draft prank

In the crowd and backstage was electric. Online it was a bit mixed, but that was to be expected when politics are involved.

But he’s pleased overall.

“Oh, this is a dig at the Bears but then it turns political,” Matthews said. “It wouldn’t have worked with anybody else. The joke wouldn’t have worked (without the Bears and Trump). That’s why it worked.”

The Trump administration heard about the prank. Matthews said he received a text message late the next night from a Washington, D.C., phone number and someone who said they work with Trump.

“You delivered your speech with the same fiery approach that you took to the game,” Matthews explained the text said.

Matthews wasn’t sure, though, if he was the one getting pranked this time. So, he let it sit for the night.

But it was legitimate. The Packers public relations team confirmed it was real.

“I wrote something nice to (Trump) and said, ‘Hey, stay in touch,'” Matthews said.

Matthews also told the story of meeting then-President Barack Obama and a sharing a handshake with him when the Packers won the Super Bowl after the 2010 season.

“He was so cool,” Matthews said. “Just knew about my family history. This is great. Any time you have the opportunity to meet the president you take it.”

Watch Clay Matthews at 2025 NFL DraftClay Matthews on Bussin’ with the Boys Podcast

In addition to Matthews discussing his prank to kick off the NFL Draft on stage in Green Bay, the former Packers superstar talks parenting and coaching his son in flag football, being coached by his dad growing up, the Packers finally taking a wide receiver in the first round, his reaction to Shedeur Sanders’ slide in this year’s draft and his ongoing back pain following his 11-year NFL career.

Packers NFL Draft 2025 class

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Clay Matthews shares how NFL Draft prank in Green Bay came to be

Clay Matthews’ discusses how his ‘awesome’ viral draft day moment in Green Bay came to be and who helped him

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